Systems, methods, and devices for removing contaminants from stormwater

Abstract

A stormwater treatment device may include a chamber having a floor and a wall; an inlet formed in the wall that receives stormwater into an inlet side of the chamber; an outlet formed in the wall that discharges stormwater from an outlet side of the chamber; an enhanced settling device positioned in the outlet side of the chamber; a flow diverter plate in a lower portion of the chamber; and an outlet control diverter positioned proximate to the outlet. Stormwater is received by the inlet in a first flow direction, flows from the inlet side to the lower portion of the chamber in a second flow direction, flows through the enhanced settling device to an upper portion of the chamber in a third flow direction, flows through the outlet control diverter in fourth flow direction, and is discharged by the outlet in a fifth flow direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A stormwater treatment device, comprising:
 a chamber having a floor and a wall; 
 an inlet formed in the wall that receives stormwater into an inlet side of the chamber; 
 an outlet formed in the wall that discharges stormwater from an outlet side of the chamber; 
 a vertical baffle that divides at least a portion of the chamber into the inlet side and the outlet side, wherein the inlet side and the outlet side are in fluid communication; 
 an enhanced settling device positioned in the outlet side of the chamber, wherein a portion of the chamber below a bottom of the enhanced settling device defines a lower portion of the chamber, and a portion of the chamber above a top of the enhanced settling device defines an upper portion of the chamber, wherein the enhanced settling device provides a first plurality of water paths from the lower portion of the chamber to the upper portion of the chamber at a first angle to the horizontal, and a second plurality of water paths from the lower portion of the chamber to the upper portion of the chamber at a second angle to the horizontal; 
 a flow diverter plate in the lower portion of the chamber; and 
 an outlet control diverter positioned proximate to the outlet, wherein the outlet control diverter comprises a bottom piece and two vertical side pieces, wherein an opening for receiving stormwater into the outlet control diverter is defined by the bottom piece, one of the vertical side pieces, and the wall; 
 wherein stormwater is received by the inlet in a first flow direction, flows from the inlet side to the lower portion of the chamber in a second flow direction, flows through the enhanced settling device to an upper portion of the chamber in a third flow direction, flows through the outlet control diverter in a fourth flow direction, and is discharged by the outlet in a fifth flow direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The stormwater treatment device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of substantially vertical vanes positioned on the vertical baffle, wherein the plurality of substantially vertical vanes extend into the inlet side of the chamber. 
 
     
     
       3. The stormwater treatment device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a horizontal vane positioned on the vertical baffle, wherein the horizontal vane extends into the inlet side of the chamber. 
 
     
     
       4. The stormwater treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first plurality of water paths and the second plurality of water paths water paths are provided by tubes. 
     
     
       5. The stormwater treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein a top of the enhanced settling device is below a lower surface of the outlet control diverter. 
     
     
       6. The stormwater treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the vertical baffle is configured such that stormwater having a flow rate above a certain value flows from the inlet side, over the vertical baffle, and to the outlet side. 
     
     
       7. The stormwater treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the vertical baffle between the inlet and outlet is configured to force forces the flow to take a longer an elongated path between the inlet and outlet side, increasing the time the stormwater spends in the chamber. 
     
     
       8. The stormwater treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the chamber is cylindrical. 
     
     
       9. A stormwater treatment device, comprising:
 a chamber having a floor and a wall; 
 an inlet formed in the wall that receives stormwater into an inlet side of the chamber; 
 an outlet formed in the wall that discharges stormwater from an outlet side of the chamber; 
 a vertical baffle that divides at least a portion of the chamber into the inlet side and the outlet side, wherein the inlet side and the outlet side are in fluid communication; 
 a horizontal vane positioned on the vertical baffle, wherein the horizontal vane extends into the inlet side of the chamber; 
 a plurality of vertical vanes, wherein the plurality of vertical vanes extend from ends of the horizontal vane; 
 an enhanced settling device positioned in the outlet side of the chamber, wherein a portion of the chamber below a bottom of the enhanced settling device defines a lower portion of the chamber, and a portion of the chamber above a top of the enhanced settling device defines an upper portion of the chamber; 
 a flow diverter plate in the lower portion of the chamber; and 
 an outlet control diverter positioned proximate to the outlet; 
 wherein stormwater is received by the inlet in a first flow direction, flows from the inlet side to the lower portion of the chamber in a second flow direction, flows through the enhanced settling device to an upper portion of the chamber in a third flow direction, flows through the outlet control diverter in a fourth flow direction, and is discharged by the outlet in a fifth flow direction. 
 
     
     
       10. The stormwater treatment device of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a plurality of substantially vertical vanes positioned on the vertical baffle, wherein the plurality of substantially vertical vanes extend into the inlet side of the chamber. 
 
     
     
       11. The stormwater treatment device of  claim 9 , wherein the enhanced settling device comprises a plurality of tubes, and each tube provides a water path from the lower portion of the chamber to the upper portion of the chamber. 
     
     
       12. The stormwater treatment device of  claim 9 , wherein the enhanced settling device comprises a plurality of tubes, and a first subset of the plurality of tubes is positioned at a first angle to the horizontal, and a second subset of the plurality of tubes is positioned at a second angle to the horizontal. 
     
     
       13. The stormwater treatment device of  claim 9 , wherein differences in the flow directions optimize a time the stormwater spends in the chamber. 
     
     
       14. A method for removing suspended contaminants from stormwater, comprising:
 receiving, at an inlet of a stormwater treatment device having a chamber with a floor and a wall, stormwater comprising suspended contaminants, wherein the stormwater flows into an inlet side of the stormwater treatment device and a fluid velocity of the stormwater decreases; 
 receiving, in a lower portion of the stormwater treatment device, the stormwater; 
 receiving, in an enhanced settling device, the stormwater from the lower portion, wherein the stormwater changes direction to flow up the enhanced settling device into an upper portion of the chamber on an outlet side of the chamber, wherein the enhanced setting device provides a first plurality of water paths from the lower portion of the chamber to the upper portion of the chamber at a first angle to the horizontal, and a second plurality of water paths from the lower portion of the chamber to the upper portion of the chamber at a second angle to the horizontal; 
 receiving, at an outlet control diverter, the stormwater from the upper portion, the outlet control diverter comprising a bottom piece and two vertical side pieces, wherein an opening into the outlet control diverter for receiving stormwater is defined by the bottom piece, one of the vertical side pieces, and an outer wall of the stormwater treatment device, wherein the stormwater changes flow direction to be received by the outlet control diverter; and 
 discharging, at an outlet, the stormwater; 
 wherein stormwater having a flow rate above a certain value flows over a vertical baffle between the inlet side and the outlet side. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein each of the first plurality of water paths and the second plurality of water paths water paths are provided by tubes. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , wherein a top of the enhanced settling device is below a lower surface of the outlet control diverter. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the changes in flow direction optimize a time the stormwater spends in the chamber. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the chamber is cylindrical.